"This sounds lovely… but I work full-time."

And honestly? I completely understand. I’m a working parent too. Not every family has six weeks at home together and so many of us will be working throughout the summer.

Many children will spend their days at holiday clubs, with grandparents, at childminders or in summer camps. Parents will be juggling meetings, deadlines, childcare and trying to fit everything else around it.

So I wanted to say this. Keeping learning alive over the summer isn't about recreating school at home.

It isn't about expensive resources.

It isn't about filling every hour with educational activities.

It isn't even about being home.

It's about being intentional.

Creating opportunities for our children to independently play and thrive.

Ten or fifteen minutes can be enough intentional time.

One conversation in the car.

Reading a chapter book together as a family.

Playing a quick card game while dinner cooks/ at the dinner table.

Staying up that little bit later.

Writing a postcard from holiday.

Measuring flour for a cake.

Asking, "Why do you think that happened?"

Those little moments matter more than we often realise because learning doesn't only happen between 9am and 3pm.

It happens everywhere. I still believe in something teachers often call the summer slide.

After six weeks without reading, writing or using some of those core skills, lots of children return to school needing time to rebuild confidence.

Not because they've forgotten everything but because brains, just like muscles, stay stronger when they're used little and often.

That doesn't mean I think children should spend their holidays doing worksheets. Far from it.

In fact, I think the best learning rarely looks like school at all.

This summer, my children will have their Summer Journals- writing about every day of the holidays

They'll take part in the library reading challenge and our own reading challenge- the prize? A medal from the library and some new books for our own reading challenge.

We'll have a craft station ready for those afternoons when someone says they're bored and they want to get creative.

We'll have a shelf of games we can grab for ten minutes before and after dinner.

But the important part isn't the journal. Or the challenge. Or the activities.

It's the intention behind them. It's choosing to make room for curiosity and fun, even on busy days.

I don't want my children to think learning is something that only belongs inside a classroom.

I want them to see it in conversations.

In adventures.

In mistakes.

In baking.

In building dens.

In family board games.

In nature walks.

In writing shopping lists.

In wondering how things work.

Whether you're at home every day this summer or squeezing family time into evenings and weekends, you don't need to do everything.

You don't need a Pinterest-worthy set-up.

You don't need colour-coded plans.

You just need a few moments each day where you choose connection over convenience.

Where you ask one extra question.

Read one extra page.

Play one extra game.

Because those tiny moments add up.

I don't believe children need six weeks away from learning.

I believe they need six weeks where learning feels joyful.

Where it's woven into everyday life instead of timetabled.

Where curiosity is protected.

Where memories are made.

And where they discover that learning was never something they only did at school in the first place.

Maybe that's the real unpopular opinion.

Not that our children should keep learning over the summer.

But that learning has been quietly happening all along.

I’ll be sharing a post a day for 30 days of the summer to show you what simple ways we are filling our days. We don’t have loads of days out planned and I will be working. Sometimes the simple days are often the best!

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Screen time is one of those parenting topics that always seems to divide opinion. I think it can also make us feel defensive of the choices that we make around screen time, therefore it can often cause controversy.

Some people believe screens are responsible for almost every challenge children face today. Others argue that they’re simply part of modern life and that worrying about them is unnecessary. As with most things in parenting, I suspect the truth sits somewhere in the middle.

We have recently started what I am calling a screen detox in our house. Not because I think screens are bad, not because I want my children to grow up disconnected from technology and definitely not because I want to use screen time as a reward or punishment.

In fact, compared to many families, our children have fairly limited access to screens. They watch television and play on a Nintendo Switch. They don’t have tablets and they don’t use our phones.

So, why the detox from screens?

The decision came after my husband and I started noticing something that had been creeping in over quite some time. Our children seemed to be finding it harder to play independently.

Now, before I go any further, I should say that my kids are fairly active children. They spend hours playing sports, riding bikes and kicking footballs around the garden. They are not spending all day staring at screens. But what we had started to notice was that every little in-between moment was being filled with TV!

Ten minutes before dinner? TV

Half an hour before football training? TV

A quiet afternoon with nothing planned? Nintendo Switch.

In the morning before school? TV

They’re not ‘to blame’ for this. We let it happen, we slowly let it creep in more and more probably for ease more than anything else. If they’re watching the TV then they’re not arguing or making mess, right?

At first, it didn’t seem like a huge issue but then I started noticing something else. Even when they were watching tv, they didn’t seem particularly engaged by it.

They would scroll through channels, start one programme and then abandon it a few minutes later. They weren’t settling into a story or enjoying what they were watching. Instead, they seemed to be searching for something better, something more exciting, something that would hold their attention just a little bit more.

It made me wonder whether the issue wasn’t actually the amount of screen time they were having. Perhaps the bigger question was what screen time was replacing.

When I think back to my own childhood, I remember endless hours of play. I’m one of five girls and we spent entire days making things up. We choreographed dances, created catwalk shows, put on performances and starred in our own imaginary soap operas. (We have home video footage of my older sister being given a damning doctors diagnosis whilst the rest of us proceeding to cry hysterically HA)!

Of course, we got bored. I remember telling my parents I had nothing to do. I remember wandering around the house complaining. I remember the foot wars we would start out of pure boredom!

But boredom was usually the beginning of something, not the end of it. Eventually we’d come up with an idea, gather our sisters together and disappear into a game for hours.

My children still do many of these things. They are imaginative, active and creative. But recently I realised they had fallen into the habit of filling every spare moment with entertainment. Before boredom had a chance to settle in, a screen was there to remove it.

The more I thought about it, the more I realised that perhaps boredom isn’t something we should be trying to eliminate. In fact, many child development experts argue the opposite.

I have read so much research on play and over and over again it suggests that periods of unstructured play help children develop creativity, problem-solving skills, emotional regulation and independence. When children are given time and space to direct their own play, they learn how to generate ideas, solve problems and entertain themselves. These are skills that don’t appear overnight. They develop through practice and PATIENCE!

Boredom often provides the opportunity for that practice to happen. That isn’t to say that screens are the enemy. Far from it. I think one of the biggest mistakes we make when discussing screen time is treating it as though all screen use is the same.

Watching a family film together is very different from endlessly scrolling short videos.

Playing a collaborative game is different from passively consuming content for hours.

Technology can offer opportunities for creativity, learning, communication and connection. There’s so much research that shows that some forms of digital play can support problem-solving, collaboration and learning when used thoughtfully.

The goal, for us at least, isn’t to eliminate screens altogether. The goal is balance.

What we realised was that our children had become so accustomed to entertainment being instantly available that they were losing some of their ability to create it for themselves.

So we have decided to strip things back. Not forever, but for the moment we are completely detoxing to give them enough time to create more opportunities for play and exploration. More opportunities to be bored.

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BUT HOW THOUGH?

I hear you, one of our biggest barriers to this is time.

Modern family life is busy. Many of us are juggling work, school runs, clubs, activities and endless to-do lists. When everyone is tired, screens can feel like the easiest option and sometimes they are. Sometimes they’re exactly what we need.

But I think there is a difference between using screens intentionally and using them automatically. As parents, we can sometimes fall into the trap of believing that our children need entertaining every minute of the day. The reality is that they don’t.

My kids moaned for the first few days. I heard ‘I’m bored’ more times than I could count but we are a week into our detox and already they are filling their time more effectively. They are asking each other to play together, they are playing board games, they are SEWING yep, sewing! I have to fight the urge to provide the ideas or set up a quick activity but this is not about filling their time, its about giving them the space and freedom to CREATE their own fun again.

Another challenge is making sure it doesn’t feel like a punishment.

We have been very careful about how we have approached this with our children. The message isn’t, “You’ve done something wrong, so we’re taking screens away.”

The message is, “We’ve noticed you’re having less fun. We’ve noticed you’re playing less. We want to create more opportunities for the things that make childhood feel joyful.”

But perhaps the hardest challenge of all is the feeling of missing out.

Like many children, ours regularly tell us about games their friends are playing. Roblox. Fortnite. Minecraft. The list goes on. I completely understand why they feel frustrated, I’ve been a kid before. My parents didn’t let me have MSN when all my friends had it and it felt unfair at the time. No parent enjoys being the person saying no when everyone else seems to be saying yes.

But one phrase I find myself coming back to time and time again is this:

“We need to feel comfortable with not having or doing everything that other people do.”

Every family has different boundaries, different experiences, different values and different priorities. We prioritise time with each other, quality time together as a family.

The decisions we make in our house won’t be right for every family, and that’s okay. Parenting isn’t about following a universal rulebook. It’s about making thoughtful decisions based on the children in front of us.

We’re only a short way into this screen detox, but already I’ve noticed some small changes but they are big enough to make us carry on. There have been complaints, declarations of boredom and endless questions about when the tv can go back on but that’s definitely part of the process too.

Because childhood doesn’t need to be optimised every minute of every day.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. How does screen time work in your house? Do you think I am overthinking every single part of parenthood?

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As with most parenting topics, there seem to be very strong opinions on both sides.

Some people believe children should receive pocket money regardless of chores because they are part of the family and shouldn’t have to “earn” their place within it.

Others believe children should work for every penny they receive so they understand the value of money from a young age.

Personally? I think there is probably truth somewhere in the middle.

Like so many things in parenting, what works for one family won’t necessarily work for another.

So, I thought I’d share what we do in our house and why.

Why We Give Pocket Money

Our children receive £2 each per week in pocket money.

It’s not a huge amount, but that’s intentional.

The goal isn’t to give them spending money every week. The goal is to slowly introduce conversations about money, saving, choices and patience because financial education doesn’t suddenly begin when children open their first bank account or start earning a wage.

It starts with understanding that money exists, that it has value and that sometimes we have to wait for the things we want.

One of the most valuable lessons pocket money has taught my children is delayed gratification.

They’ve experienced the excitement of saving towards something bigger rather than spending every penny immediately. They’ve watched their money grow week by week and they’ve started making decisions about what is worth buying and what isn’t.

Those are skills they’ll use for life.

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Pocket Money and Chores

This is often where the debate begins.

Should children be paid for chores?

In our house, there are certain things that are simply expected because we are part of a family.

· Making beds.

· Putting dirty clothes in the washing basket.

· Taking plates to the dishwasher.

· Tidying up toys.

These aren’t jobs that earn money because they’re part of helping our home run smoothly.

We often talk about how it takes an entire family to run a home, not just the adults.

Everyone contributes.

However, there are also additional jobs that children can choose to do if they would like to earn extra money.

Things like:

• Washing internal windows

• Sweeping floors

• Cleaning surfaces

• Helping in the garden

• Washing outdoor toys

• Organising cupboards

• Other age-appropriate jobs that go beyond their usual responsibilities

The important word here is choose. These jobs aren’t mandatory. They aren’t things I expect them to do. They’re opportunities.

I think it’s important that children understand both ideas can exist together.

There are things we do because we care about our family and want to contribute to our home.

And there are extra jobs we can choose to take on because we would like to earn some money.

Watching Their Money Grow

One of my favourite parts of our pocket money system is how visual it is.

My children each have a Nestlums Pocket Money Pet. Every time they save money, they can physically see it building up inside. For younger children, this is incredibly powerful.

Money can feel like a very abstract concept when it’s just numbers on a screen. But when children can actually watch their savings grow week by week, it helps them make the connection between saving, spending and waiting.

They start asking questions.

· How much more do I need?

· How many weeks until I can buy it?

· What happens if I save for longer?

Those conversations are exactly what I want because the goal isn’t really the toy at the end.

It’s learning how money works.

Looking Ahead

As our children get older, our approach will evolve too.

When they reach around 11, we’ll move towards giving them their own bank cards and digital accounts.

By then, my hope is that they’ll already understand the foundations:

• Money doesn’t appear by magic.

• Saving takes time.

• Spending is a choice.

• Sometimes it’s worth waiting for something bigger.

• Earning money often requires effort.

The technology may change, but the lessons remain the same.

There Is No Perfect System

I don’t think pocket money is essential and I certainly don’t think every chore should be rewarded.

What I do think is that giving children opportunities to talk about money, make mistakes with money and learn from those experiences can be incredibly valuable.

Whether that’s through pocket money, earning opportunities, savings jars, pocket money pets or eventually a bank card, the important thing is creating conversations because financial education isn’t one big lesson.

It’s hundreds of tiny conversations spread across childhood and in our house, those conversations currently start with £2 a week and a very enthusiastic pocket money pet.

If you want to find out more about our pocket money device then take a look here: Pocket Money Pet

Sleep hasn’t ever come easily to my eldest. Not because he won’t go to bed. Not because he’s not tired. But because his brain… just doesn’t switch off.

It’s busy. Full of thoughts, questions and ideas. The kind of brain that carries the day with it into the night. He always has a million things to tell me at bed time, its when he decompresses and thinks about his day.

And for a long time, that meant waking up throughout the night and needing us to help him settle again. At 8 years old my child had still not learnt to self soothe!

If you have a child like this, you’ll know… it’s not about ‘bad habits’ or ‘not trying hard enough’. It’s about a brain that just needs a little more support to slow down.

So I did what I always do… I asked every single parent I could for advice!

We didn’t overhaul everything. We didn’t change anything or create a perfect routine. We just added one small thing.

We introduced a Yoto at bedtime, not as something to fall asleep to, but something he could use if/when he woke up.

A story waiting for him. A voice to follow. Something gentle to anchor his thoughts.

So now, when he wakes…instead of lying there with a busy mind, he reaches over, pops on a story,and slowly, quietly… drifts back off. I have a control on my app that turns it off after 30 minutes. So, it is perfect.

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He falls asleep to stories by Enid Blyton and the Winnie the Pooh selection, sweet whimsical stories that slowly help him to switch off his brain and have lovely thoughts.

Why this works (and what the research says)…

There’s actually a really important reason this helps.

When children have what many parents describe as “brain noise”, it’s often because their thoughts don’t have anywhere to go.

Audio stories give those thoughts somewhere to land.

Research shows that:

• Listening to stories can be soothing and reduce anxiety at bedtime

• Audiobooks help children switch off and relax, replacing busy thoughts with calm, structured narratives

• Bedtime reading and storytelling are linked to longer sleep duration and improved sleep quality

It’s not about “making them sleep”. It’s about helping their brain feel safe enough to rest.

The shift I noticed…

What surprised me most wasn’t just that he was going back to sleep. It was the independence.

He wasn’t calling for us anymore. He wasn’t feeling stuck or overwhelmed. He had something he could do. And that changes everything.

A few things that really help older children at bedtime…

If you have an older child who struggles to settle, here are a few small shifts that can make a big difference:

1. Build in “check-in” time before bed

Not just ‘brush teeth, into bed’.

But a few quiet minutes to talk.

Sometimes the thoughts that appear at 2am… are the ones that didn’t have space at 7pm.

2. Normalise a busy brain

Instead of: “Just go to sleep”

Try: “I can see your brain is still busy tonight… let’s help it slow down”

That shift removes pressure instantly.

3. Give them something to go to, not away from

Telling children to “stop thinking” doesn’t work.

But giving them:

• a story

• a voice

• something gentle to focus on gives their brain a pathway to follow.

4. Keep it predictable, not perfect

Sleep research consistently shows that simple, consistent routines help children fall asleep more easily because they signal that sleep is coming, it doesn’t need to be elaborate.

It just needs to feel safe and familiar.

What I’ve learned…

Sleep isn’t always about getting children to “switch off”. Sometimes it’s about giving them something soft enough… to switch into.

For us, that’s been stories. And for the first time in a long time, nights feel calmer.

If you’re in this stage too…

You’re not doing anything wrong.

Some children just feel things more deeply. Think more deeply. Carry more with them into the night.

They don’t need fixing. They just need a little more support to let it go!

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about rewards.

Partly because we’ve started using a token jar at home with the children… but also because it’s something I’ve thought about for years, long before having my own children. It was actually the focus of my university dissertation, and I remember going into that research with quite a lot of the same questions many parents have now.

Would rewards create dependency?

Would children only behave in certain ways for something in return?

Would it take away from their natural motivation to be kind, helpful, thoughtful?

And what I found was something quite different.

When rewards are used intentionally, thoughtfully, and alongside strong relationships and clear communication, the impact can be incredibly positive. Not because children are being ‘trained’ to behave, but because their positive choices are being noticed, named, and reinforced in a way that helps them make sense of the world around them.

And that’s really what we’re doing, isn’t it?

We’re helping our children understand what matters.

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Because so much of what we ask of them is actually quite complex. We ask them to manage big feelings, to consider other people, to pause before reacting, to communicate in ways that feel kind and respectful… and all of that takes time. It takes A LOT of practice and it takes guidance from positive role models.

So, when we introduced a token jar at home, it wasn’t about control or compliance. It was about making those small, positive choices more visible.

The children earn tokens for things like kindness, speaking thoughtfully to each other, playing together, helping out around the house, and even something as simple (and sometimes very big!) as listening the first time. But what I’ve found most powerful is that it shifts the focus.

Instead of constantly noticing what isn’t going well, which can so easily become the narrative in busy family life, we’re intentionally noticing what is.

We’re catching those moments of kindness and thoughtfulness.

We’re slowing them down.

We’re saying, ‘that right there… that matters/ that’s kindness!

And over time, that changes something because children begin to internalise it. They begin to truly understand what kindness looks like not because they are being told but because they are practicing.

‘They don’t just think, ‘I got a token.’ They begin to think, ‘that was kind’ or ‘I helped’ or ‘I made things feel calmer.’

And that’s where intrinsic motivation starts to build, not because of rewards, but alongside them.

There’s quite a lot of research that talks about this idea of reinforcement, and how behaviour that is noticed and acknowledged is far more likely to be repeated. But what’s often missed in those conversations is the quality of that reinforcement.

It’s not about handing something over quickly and moving on. It’s about the language we use, the connection we build and the meaning we attach to those moments.

The tokens on their own do not work, its everything wrapped around it that does.

Something else we’ve built into our token jar, which has been really important for us, is that it’s not just about earning tokens, it’s about maintaining them too. If the children are unkind to each other, if things become physical, or if they’re not working as a team, tokens can be taken away. And that’s been a really powerful part of the process. Some people will disagree with this, that once tokens are earnt that they cannot be removed. That’s fine. But that’s not my reasoning.

We do not take the tokens away as a punishment, but as a reflection of something bigger, that we are all working towards something together, and that how we treat each other along the way matters.

That just because you have been kind once, does not mean that you can go on to treat people with unkindness. It’s about looking at the bigger picture.

This goal isn’t individual. They’re not working towards separate rewards.

They’re working together towards shared experiences. A trip to the cinema, soft play, bowling… and eventually a big day out as a family. And that changes the dynamic completely. It moves them away from ‘what do I get?’ and gently towards ‘what can we create together?’

They notice each other more. They encourage each other. They remind each other what they’re working towards and in doing so, they’re building something much deeper than just behaviour. They’re building positive balanced relationships.

Of course, it’s not perfect. There are still arguments, still moments where everything unravels, still days where no tokens are earned at all. But that’s not a failure of the system that’s just childhood. That’s learning.

Ultimately, this isn’t about creating perfectly behaved children. It’s about creating space for learning and reflection. See it as a metaphor for life, if the jar is full then it shows all the different times, we have chosen kindness over anything else.

What really matters is the intention behind it… and the message that sits underneath it all.

That we see them. That we notice the effort and that the way they show up in the world in their family, in their relationships, really does matter.

What are your thoughts on rewards? I’d love to open up the discussion.

Easter holidays are either upon us or already in full swing… and if you’re anything like me, that brings a mix of feelings.

There’s something so special about having our children at home. The slower mornings, the little pockets of connection, the chance to just be together a bit more. I always go into the holidays with the best intentions… cosy activities, time outdoors, a little more ease, the quality time spent together. Nothing beats it.

But alongside that, there’s the reality.

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As a working parent, even with the flexibility that comes from running my own business, there is still a constant juggle. Emails still need replying to. Work still ticks along in the background. And there are inevitably moments in the day where you just need something ready for your children to dive into, without a big setup or lots of planning.

That’s exactly why I’ve created these Easter activity booklets.

They’re designed for real life. For those in-between moments. For when you need five minutes… or fifty.

Inside, you’ll find simple, engaging activities that children can access independently, but that still hold onto what we know really matters in early learning, curiosity, creativity and a sense of play. They’re not about pressure or perfect outcomes. They’re about gently keeping little minds busy, while still feeling like fun.

You might use them while you’re replying to a few emails with a cup of tea beside you. You might dip into them after a morning out. Or they might become part of a slower, quieter afternoon at home together.

However they’re used, I hope they give you a small sense of support during the holidays.

Because this juggle? It’s real. And you’re not the only one navigating it.

You can download and print your Easter booklet below, ready for those moments when you need something simple, playful and ready to go 🤍

Download Here: Easter Booklets

You’ll find two booklets, one for children aged 4-6 and another for children aged 6-8!

Happy Easter and Enjoy ✨

Over the past few days, my inbox on Instagram has been full of questions about the Year 1 phonics screening check following a Q&A!

Parents asking:
“Should I be worried?”
“What if my child doesn’t pass?”
“My child’s teacher has told me they are going to fail what should I do?”

And I completely understand why this feels confusing and stressful!

Because when you really stop and think about it… does it really matter?
The Phonics Screening test doesn’t quite match what we instinctively know about reading and does it really tell us that our children are ‘behind’?

What is the phonics screening check actually measuring?

The phonics screening check is designed to assess whether a child can decode words using phonics.

It includes a mix of real words and pseudo-words (often called nonsense words or alien words), specifically to check whether children are relying on decoding rather than memory.

In simple terms:
Can your child sound out a word they’ve never seen before?

And that, in itself, isn’t a bad thing.

Decoding is an important part of learning to read!

But here’s the part we need to talk about…

Decoding is not the same as reading.

Reading is:
– understanding
– meaning-making
– connection
– fluency
– enjoyment

And the phonics screening check doesn’t measure those things.

It measures one small piece of a much bigger picture.

The question around nonsense words…

One of the biggest sticking points for parents is this: “Why are children being asked to read words that aren’t even real?”

And here’s the official reasoning: Nonsense-words are used so children can’t rely on memory or recognition, only on their phonics knowledge.

In research and assessment, nonsense words are often used to isolate decoding ability.

But reading doesn’t happen in isolation…

When we look at how the brain actually reads, something really interesting happens.

There’s something called the word superiority effect – which shows that we recognise letters more easily when they are part of real words than when they appear in meaningless strings.

In other words:

Our brains are wired to make sense of language.
We don’t read letter by letter, we read for meaning.

We use context, familiarity and experience to make sense of what we see.
In fact, our brains will often correct words automatically when they’re spelt incorrectly.

Like this:
yuo wood probubly bee abl to reed this sentunse wiv the spellin mistayks.

Reading is not just sounding out letters… it’s a process of constructing meaning.

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So here’s the tension

The screening check asks children to:
– read in a way that removes meaning
– focus purely on decoding
– treat reading as a technical skill

But real reading is:
– meaningful
– contextual
– purposeful

And that’s where the disconnect lies.

What the screening check is really for

This is the part that often isn’t said out loud.

The check gives a standardised snapshot of decoding ability across schools.

It helps identify:
– which children may need extra phonics support
– how effectively phonics is being taught at a system level

But it does not tell us:
– if a child enjoys reading
– if they understand what they read
– if they feel confident as a learner

And that matters… a lot

Because I’ve worked with many children who:
– pass the screening check
– but don’t see themselves as readers

And others who:
– struggle with decoding
– but love stories, language and books

So we have to ask ourselves:

What do we value most?

A score…
or a child who feels confident, capable and connected to reading?

What I want parents to hold onto

If your child finds the screening check tricky…
it is not a reflection of their intelligence, potential, or future as a reader.

It simply tells us:
they may need more support with decoding

And that support can absolutely be given in a way that is:
– playful
– engaging
– confidence-building

Because this is what truly builds readers

Not pressure.
Not performance.
Not one-off tests.

But:

– conversations
– shared stories
– playful phonics
– language-rich environments
– feeling safe to try and get things wrong

The bigger picture

We don’t raise readers by drilling sounds in isolation.

We raise readers by helping children:
– see themselves as capable
– find joy in books
– communicate their ideas
– feel proud of their voice

And this is the part I care about most

Because confident children:
– take risks
– keep trying
– engage with learning
– become lifelong readers

So if you take one thing from this…

We build confident communicators first. Readers follow.

If your child is approaching the phonics screening check right now,
take a moment to ask them about phonics. Are they enjoying it? What are they finding difficult?

This will give you an insight into what it is that they are experiencing.

Sit with them.
Read with them.
Play with sounds.
Laugh at the silly words.

Because in the end… it’s not about the test.

It’s about the child.

This isn’t about criticising the system.
The phonics screening check has a purpose, it helps ensure children are being taught and supported.

But no test can capture everything that matters.
And it certainly doesn’t define your child’s ability, confidence, or potential.

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Last night I watched Louis Theroux’s documentary about the “manosphere”…

If you’ve seen it, you’ll know what I mean when I say it left me feeling a bit unsettled.

Not just because of the men in the documentary, but because of how easily young boys can stumble across this kind of content online.

Researchers looking at social media algorithms found that teenage boys can be recommended misogynistic or male-supremacist content within minutes of joining platforms like TikTok or YouTube, simply through the algorithm pushing increasingly extreme videos.

As I sat there watching it, I kept coming back to the same thought… it almost felt like a form of radicalisation. The content was framed as something “helpful” as if these men were guiding other men towards their true worth. But the version of worth they were promoting was tied to money, power, dominance and aggression.

Scene after scene showed these influencers walking through crowds of young, star-struck boys, being mobbed by fans who told them they had changed their lives. These men were being treated like heroes, almost superheroes, by incredibly impressionable young boys who were clearly searching for someone to look up to.

Why the social media conversation matters

Our children’s first understanding of the world doesn’t come from the internet.

It comes from us.

From the conversations we have at the dinner table. From the way we speak about each other at home. From the way we respond when our children say something tricky or confusing.

And I think that’s where our real power is as parents.

There’s a lot of discussion at the moment about banning social media for children until they’re older.

And honestly… I support it.

Not because I think the internet is evil or because I want to wrap children in cotton wool. But because childhood is such a short window of time where we get to build the foundations of who our children are.

Confidence. Self-worth. Empathy. Respect.

Those things take years to grow.

Algorithms can undo them in minutes.

The internet is loud. It rewards extreme voices. And unfortunately misogyny is one of the things that spreads very quickly online.

Giving children longer before they step into that world feels less like restriction and more like protection.

It buys us time.

Time to talk. Time to model things properly. Time to help our children understand people and relationships before the internet tries to explain it for them.

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The message the manosphere is selling

One thing that kept coming up in the documentary was this idea that women are born powerful because of their beauty.

And that men have to fight to become powerful through money, status and dominance.

It’s such a bleak way of seeing the world.

Because women are not powerful because of how they look. And men are not valuable because of how much money they make or how “manly” they appear.

Girls are funny, curious, brave, clever, thoughtful and strong.

Boys are kind, emotional, creative, sensitive and nurturing.

The moment we start reducing people to appearance or power we lose all the richness of who human beings actually are.

And that’s exactly why these conversations matter while our children are still young.

The conversations that happen at home matter most

I keep thinking about something really simple. Most of our children are not watching the manosphere.

They’re watching us.

They’re listening when we talk about women. They’re listening when we talk about men. They’re listening when someone cries, loses their temper, or apologises.

And they’re quietly building their own understanding of what it means to be a boy or a girl.

Protecting our children starts with the little conversations.

When a boy cries and someone says “boys don’t cry” we challenge that. When a girl worries about how she looks we remind her that her value runs far deeper than appearance.

When our children talk about being the “best” or the “strongest” or the “coolest”, we gently shift the conversation back to kindness, teamwork and character.

These things might feel small.

But they are building the voice inside our children’s heads.

And that voice is the one that will eventually meet the internet.

Building boys up without tearing girls down

Something that really worries me about the manosphere is how much it relies on boys feeling insecure.

It tells them that the world is stacked against them. That women are the problem. That they must dominate in order to be respected.

But boys who grow up feeling secure in themselves don’t need those narratives.

They already know who they are.

They know they are allowed to feel big emotions. They know kindness is strength. They know respect goes both ways.

And when boys grow up in homes where women are respected, where girls’ voices matter, and where emotional intelligence is valued…Those extreme messages online start to feel very strange. Because they simply don’t match the world they know.

Three simple things we can start doing today

When topics like this come up it can feel overwhelming, but the foundations actually start with very small everyday moments.

1. Talk about people’s character more than their appearance

When we talk about other people around our children, notice what we focus on.

It’s so easy to default to appearance or surface traits. “She’s so pretty/ tall.” “He’s so strong/ fast.”

But children quickly learn what society values by listening to the language we use.

Instead, we can highlight character.

“She was really kind to her friend today.” “He showed so much empathy when his friend was upset.” “She worked so hard on that.” “He asked such thoughtful questions.” “She’s really good at solving problems.”

“He tried really hard and didn’t give up.” “He noticed someone needed help and stepped in.”

When children repeatedly hear kindness, empathy, curiosity and resilience being celebrated, they begin to understand that these are the qualities that really matter.

2. Make space for all emotions

Children need to know that every emotion is allowed.

Not just the happy ones.

When children feel that sadness, frustration or anger are “wrong”, those feelings don’t disappear they just come out in other ways.

But when we respond with curiosity instead of shutting emotions down, children learn how to understand themselves.

“It’s okay to feel upset.” “That sounds really frustrating.” “I can see you’re angry, do you want to talk about it?”

“Shall we think of a way to help us manage our feelings.” “That must have felt disappointing.”

These moments build emotional literacy.

And children who understand their emotions are more likely to talk about them rather than bottle them up.

3. Ask open questions about fairness and differences

We don’t need to wait until children are teenagers to start talking about respect between men and women.

In fact, younger children are often the most open and curious.

Instead of lecturing, we can ask questions and listen to their thoughts first.

“Do you think boys and girls can do the same things?” “Why do you think some people say certain jobs are for men or women?” “Do you think boys and girls have different rules?” “What makes someone a good man or a good woman?” “How should people treat each other?”

Children often repeat things they’ve heard elsewhere, and these moments give us the chance to gently challenge ideas and broaden their thinking.

Not by shutting them down.

But by exploring together.

Because when children feel safe discussing these things at home, they’re far more likely to question the messages they encounter elsewhere.

The long game of parenting

Watching the documentary reminded me that parenting in the digital age is a long game. We cannot control everything our children will eventually see.

But we can control the foundations we build before they see it.

The time we spend talking. The questions we ask. The values we repeat again and again. The example we set every day.

And when our children eventually step out into the wider world, online or offline, they will carry those foundations with them. Hopefully.

I definitely don’t have all the answers here. Like most parents, I’m figuring this out as I go.

But I do believe that the small conversations we have with our children every day matter more than we sometimes realise.

Helping them see that girls are valued for far more than their appearance. That boys are valued for far more than money, power or toughness. And that kindness, empathy and respect matter more than anything else.

If we can keep having those conversations at home, again and again, I think we’re already doing something really powerful.

“Why don’t they like me anymore?” That was the question I heard at bedtime recently. And honestly… it stopped me in my tracks a little.

There are moments in parenting that do that. Not the loud crazy moments. We’re quite used to those. But the quiet moments when your child says something that lands right in your chest.

One of my children had got really upset. The kind of upset that appears suddenly but you know it has actually been sitting on their mind for a while.

They were sitting on the edge of the bed, twisting the corner of the duvet while they talked. Tears. Confusion. And underneath it all, that one heavy question.

“Why don’t they like me anymore?”

And in that moment I was reminded how fragile friendship can feel when you’re little.

Friendships can be tough. Being a child can be tough too. I think sometimes as adults we look back on childhood and imagine it was all quite simple. But children are navigating an incredibly complicated little social world every single day.

Conversations are happening all the time that they don’t quite feel part of.
Games are being played that they aren’t included in.
Groups form and shift and change.
And small moments can suddenly make them question where they belong.

These days, friendships can also be shaped by shared trends, games, shows and conversations that move quickly through classrooms and playgrounds. Sometimes belonging can start to feel tied to knowing the same things or liking the same things.

When children feel outside of that, even for a moment, it can feel enormous.

Listening that evening, the feelings being shared were heavy ones that many of us will recognise from our own childhood. The feeling of being left out.

And if I’m honest, every instinct in me wanted to fix it. The Mama Bear came out of me instinctively. I wanted to solve the problem. Call the school. Give advice. Rehearse clever things to say. Help them find their way straight back into the centre of the group.

But the truth is, friendship is one of the few parts of childhood we can’t really manage for our children because these moments, painful as they are, are also where children slowly begin to build something incredibly important.

A sense of who they are that isn’t completely shaped by the approval of others. Still, that doesn’t make it easy to watch.

So, what do we actually do in those moments when our child feels left out?

The first thing I realised was that sometimes we just need to sit with the feeling for a moment.

Our instinct as parents is often to reassure quickly.

“You’ll be fine.”
“They still like you.”
“Don’t worry about it.”

But children often need space to feel the emotion before they can move through it. Instead of jumping straight into solutions, simply acknowledging what they are experiencing can make a huge difference.

“That sounds really hard.”
“It hurts when you feel left out.”

Sometimes sharing a small story from our own childhood can help too. It reminds them that this feeling is part of being human and that it doesn’t last forever. When children feel understood, their nervous system settles. The emotion softens and they feel less alone in it.

Another thing that struck me during that conversation was how quickly children can feel like they need to change themselves to belong.

Children are incredibly perceptive when it comes to fitting in. Sometimes they try to adapt themselves to match the group. They might pretend to like something they don’t, or try to mirror the interests of others just to stay included. While that instinct is very human, it’s also where confidence can quietly begin to wobble.

One of the most important messages we can give our children is this.

You don’t need to change what you like for people to like you.

The right friendships will always leave space for who you actually are.

Something else I often remind my children of is that friendship isn’t always one fixed group. When you’re little it can feel that way. If you feel left out from that group, it can suddenly feel like your whole social world has collapsed.

But the reality is that friendships in childhood shift and change all the time.

Different games at break time.
Different interests emerging.
Different personalities connecting in different moments.

Sometimes all children need is a gentle reminder that there are lots of different people to connect with.

Questions like:

“Was there anyone else you enjoyed talking to today?”
“Is there someone you might like to play with tomorrow?” can quietly widen their view of friendship again.

After moments like this, I also think it’s really important to help children reconnect with their strengths. Because after a difficult social moment, children can start questioning themselves.

Am I fun enough?
Am I interesting enough?
Do people actually like me?

This is where home becomes the anchor.

Doing something together that they feel confident in: building, playing, creating, moving, these can all help bring them back to themselves again.

Their identity becomes bigger than the playground moment that hurt them and then there is the hardest part for us as parents…

Resisting the urge to rescue too quickly.

My instinct is always to protect and fix. I think most parents feel that. But learning to navigate friendship is a skill that develops slowly over time.

These early moments of exclusion, confusion and repair are part of that process. They are how children learn to join conversations, start games, find their people and recover when something feels uncomfortable.

Our role isn’t to solve every social puzzle for them.

Our role is to be the safe place they return to afterwards.

The place where they can cry, talk it through and rebuild their confidence before stepping back out again.

Because when children know they are deeply valued at home, the ups and downs of the playground begin to feel a little less defining.

As heartbreaking as these moments can be, they are also part of developing a sense of self.

Most of us can remember a moment from our own childhood when we felt left out or questioned where we belonged.

What matters most is that our children feel heard because when they know they can bring their feelings to us, they will keep coming back to share them.

And that is where their confidence really begins to grow.

Before you go, I’m curious.

Have your children ever come home with a friendship worry like this?
How did you support them through it?

These quiet conversations between parents are often where we realise just how common these moments really are and can help us to feel less alone.

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Don’t get me wrong I love half terms, they always feel like such a wonderful way for us to reconnect but they also feel like they can be a lot, all at once.

With wet weather forecast and routines suddenly gone, it’s not always easy to know how to fill the days without defaulting to screens or spending a fortune. That’s exactly why I’ve created this half-term resource pack.

Inside you’ll find 15+ simple, playful activities designed to use what you already have at home. Nothing fancy, nothing prep-heavy, just ideas that spark creativity, curiosity and joy.

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That can sound a little daunting but it’s worth remembering that the goal isn’t just speed. What really helps children succeed is a solid understanding of how multiplication works, combined with lots of repetition in fun, low-pressure ways.

Many schools now use the app Times Tables Rock Stars, which can be great. But if, like me, you prefer to limit screen time where possible, there are plenty of ways to play with times tables and explore them together without a screen in sight.

One of our favourite ways is adding a times tables twist to the classic game Dots and Boxes.

Dots and Boxes Sheet Here

How to play
The rules of Dots and Boxes stay exactly the same as usual, (each turn you take you join two dots together, the aim is to close a box) the only difference is what you write inside the box.

Instead of filling a completed box with an initial, you fill it with a times table fact.

First, choose a times table to focus on (for example, the 3 times table). Each time a player completes a box, they write the next multiplication in that sequence inside the box:
3 × 1, 3 × 2, 3 × 3… all the way up to 3 × 12.

Once you’ve worked through the full table, simply switch to a different times table and carry on playing.

This works brilliantly because children are practising times tables repeatedly without it feeling repetitive. It’s competitive, fun, and keeps them thinking about multiplication facts in a relaxed, game-based way — exactly where learning sticks best.

Times Tables Wheels Here

Another activity we love is using times tables wheels. Each wheel focuses on one times table, and I encourage them to explore the patterns first, noticing what happens to the numbers, which answers repeat, and which ones feel tricky. Once they’re familiar, I ask ten random multiplication questions and challenge them to answer as quickly as they can. It’s amazing how confidence grows when children start spotting patterns rather than memorising in isolation.

More Playful Ways to Practise Times Tables at Home

• Array building
  Use Lego, buttons or pasta to build arrays (for example, 3 rows of 4). This helps children see multiplication rather than just recall it.

• Skip counting games
  Skip count while clapping, bouncing a ball or jumping. Movement helps facts stick.

• Times table bingo
  Call out multiplication questions and cover the answers on a homemade bingo board.

• Real-life multiplication
  “If we have 4 plates and each plate has 3 biscuits, how many biscuits altogether?” Everyday moments are perfect for quick practice.

• Speed rounds (just a few!)
  Short bursts of quick-fire questions are far more effective than long drills. Stop while it’s still fun.

• Patterns and tricks
  Talk about patterns in the 9s, doubling for the 4s, or using known facts to work out harder ones.

Times tables don’t have to mean endless worksheets or screen time. A little bit of playful practice, done often, builds confidence, speed and understanding and that’s what really makes the difference.

Place value simply means that the position of a digit in a number tells you its value. The same digit can mean very different things depending on where it appears.

For example, let’s look at the number 348.

The number 348 is made up of three digits:

• 3 is in the hundreds place, so it means 300

• 4 is in the tens place, so it means 40

• 8 is in the ones place, so it means 8

So we can break the number down like this:
348 = 300 + 40 + 8

This way of thinking is incredibly helpful for children because it allows them to break numbers into manageable chunks. Once they can do this, tasks like addition, subtraction and problem-solving become far less overwhelming.

Place Value Sheet Here

How to Explain Place Value Simply to a Child

You might say something like:
“The number 348 isn’t just three, four, eight.
It’s three hundreds, four tens and eight ones.”

Using this language regularly helps children hear and understand the structure of numbers, rather than seeing them as random digits.

Why Place Value Is So Important

A strong understanding of place value helps children to:

• Read and write numbers correctly

• Understand and compare larger numbers

• Add and subtract more confidently

• Avoid common mistakes, like thinking 348 is just 3 + 4 + 8

A great way to check understanding is by asking simple questions such as:
“What is the value of the 4 in 348?”

The correct answer should be 40, not 4. Questions like this quickly show whether your child truly understands place value or is still seeing numbers as individual digits.

Practical Resources for Exploring Place Value

You don’t need anything complicated. Simple, hands-on resources work best:

• Counters, beads or coins

• Base ten blocks or bundles of sticks

• Place value charts drawn on paper

• Lego bricks grouped into tens and hundreds

Fun Ways to Practise Place Value at Home

• Build the number
  Ask your child to build a number using objects. For 348, they might make three groups of 100, four groups of 10 and eight single items.

• Number partitioning
  Write a number and ask, “Can you break this into hundreds, tens and ones?”

• Digit swap
  Change the order of digits and talk about how the value changes. “What’s the difference between 348 and 384?”

• Real-life numbers
  Look at house numbers, prices or page numbers and talk about what each digit represents.

• Say it out loud
  Encourage your child to say numbers in full: “three hundred and forty-eight” rather than just reading the digits.

Place value can feel tricky at first, but with lots of talking, building and exploring, it soon starts to make sense and once it does, everything else begins to fall into place.

My son is currently in Year 2 and has been learning all about money. He’s completely obsessed with coins, notes and solving problems involving them. The only slight problem? We hardly use physical money anymore. Coins and notes don’t come out very often in everyday life, so over the last month we’ve made a conscious effort to have real money around the house for him to explore.

Being able to handle money in real-life situations is such an important skill at this stage. In Year 2, children are learning to recognise coins and notes, understand their value, make amounts in different ways, and solve simple problems involving addition and subtraction with money. The more practical and meaningful the experience, the more confident they become.

Recently, we set him two money-related “missions” and he absolutely loved both.

Mission 1: The Shop Challenge
We sent him and his brother into a shop with £10 and told them that together they could spend £6. Their job was to work out how much money they had each and choose snacks for a family movie night.

The rules were simple:

• They couldn’t spend more than £6

• They had to choose enough snacks for everyone

Listening to them chat, negotiate, change their minds and justify their choices was an absolute delight. There was so much maths happening naturally: counting, adding, checking prices, and even a bit of problem-solving when something cost more than expected.

Mission 2: Plan a Family Meal
Next, we gave him the task of planning a family meal with a budget of £20. He used our food shopping app on the phone to add items to the basket, which worked brilliantly. He could compare prices, look at different options and decide which items were the most cost-effective.

This was a great way to show him that money maths isn’t just about coins and notes, it’s about making choices, budgeting and understanding value.

In Year 2, the National Curriculum expects children to:

• Recognise and use symbols for pounds (£) and pence (p)

• Combine amounts to make a particular value

• Find change

• Solve simple problems involving money

Here are some fun, easy ways you can explore money at home:

• Home shop
  Set up a pretend shop using toys or snacks with price labels. Give your child some coins and let them be the shopper or shopkeeper. We set up an art gallery with their own artwork and they valued them, paid for them and worked out the change on receipts.

• Coin sorting
  Sort coins by size, colour or value. Talk about which are worth more and why.

• Make the same amount
  Challenge your child to make the same total using different coins. “Can you make 50p in two different ways?”

• Real-life spending
  Let your child pay at the till, count out coins or check change when possible.

• Budget challenges
  Give them a small budget and a goal -snacks, a gift, or ingredients for a meal - and let them plan how to spend it.

Money is one of those areas of maths that really comes alive when children can see, touch and use it. A little bit of real-world practice goes a very long way.

You don’t need anything fancy to get started. A number line can be drawn on paper, marked out with a ruler, made on the floor using sticky notes, or even chalked outside. The more visual and interactive it is, the better.

Here are some simple ways you can explore number lines together at home:

Number Line Sheet Here

1. One More and One Less

Using the number line

1. Find the starting number.

2. Jump one step to the right for one more. E.g. One more than 6 → jump to 7

3. Jump one step to the left for one less. E.g. One less than 6 → jump to 5

2. Counting Forwards

Counting forwards supports number order and is an important foundation for addition.

How to do it

• Start at any number on the number line.

• Move to the right, saying each number as you go. E.g. Start at 4 and count on 3:
  4 → 5 → 6 → 7

3. Counting Backwards

Counting backwards helps children understand subtraction and the idea of “less.”

How to do it

• Start at a number.

• Move to the left, saying each number aloud. E.g. Start at 9 and count back 2:
  9 → 8 → 7

4. Addition Using a Number Line

Addition means moving forwards along the number line.

Steps

1. Start on the first number.

2. Count forwards the second number.

3. Land on the answer.
   e.g. 5 + 3
   Start at 5 and jump 3 steps:
   6, 7, 8

5. Subtraction Using a Number Line

Subtraction means moving backwards along the number line.

Steps

1. Start on the biggest number.

2. Count backwards the amount you are taking away.

3. Land on the answer.
   E.g. 10 − 4
   Start at 10 and jump back 4 steps:
   9, 8, 7, 6

Helpful Tips

• Encourage your child to place an object on the starting number and touch, point to or draw each jump.

• Let them say the numbers out loud - hearing themselves count really supports understanding.

• Use real-life language like: “Three more steps forward” and “Two jumps back”

• Mistakes are a good thing - they show learning is happening.

You can make number lines even more fun and visual by:

• Using a small toy to jump or drive along the line

• Drawing a chalk number line outside

• Letting your child be the jumper on the floor

The goal isn’t just to get the answer right - it’s for children to understand how numbers move and relate to each other. Once that clicks, everything else starts to feel a lot easier.

During the first year of school, children will mostly be working with numbers 0–10. At this stage, the focus is on really getting to know each number - what it represents, how it can be made, and how it can change. Once that number sense feels secure, children naturally begin to explore simple addition and subtraction.

If your child is anything like mine, you might already be hearing little maths questions popping up throughout the day. “Mummy, what’s 5 + 4?” is currently her absolute favourite sum - asked at breakfast, in the car, and just before bed.

This curiosity is a great sign. It shows they’re starting to see numbers as something they can play with, not just recite.

One of our favourite ways to explore addition has been this simple adding machine. It’s very visual, hands-on, and incredibly easy to make. I stuck two cardboard tubes onto a piece of cardboard and added a strip of clear tape across the top so I could write different sums using a wipeable pen.

The idea is simple: she drops pom poms into the tubes to work out each part of the sum, then counts them all together at the bottom. She can see the numbers coming together, hear them drop, and touch them as she counts - which makes a huge difference when children are learning new maths concepts.

When children first explore addition and subtraction, using visual and tactile objects is so important. Being able to see numbers combine or separate helps them truly understand what’s happening, rather than just memorising answers.

Here are some other easy ways you can explore simple addition and subtraction at home:

• Toy addition
  Use small toys, cars, animals or blocks. “You have 3 bears and I give you 2 more — how many now?” Move them together as you count.

• Snack maths
  Perfect for real-life learning. “You’ve got 5 grapes. If you eat 2, how many are left?” Children love maths when snacks are involved.

• Fingers still count
  Using fingers is not cheating - it’s learning. Fingers are always available and help children visualise numbers clearly.

• Jumping sums
  Write numbers on paper, place them on the floor and jump forwards to add or backwards to subtract. Movement helps learning stick.

• Story sums
  Turn maths into a story. “Three ducks were in the pond. Two more came to join them. How many ducks are there now?” This helps children connect maths to real situations.

Keep everything playful and pressure-free. It’s not about getting the “right” answer straight away - it’s about understanding what numbers are doing and building confidence along the way. Simple resources, real-life moments and lots of chatting together are more than enough to support early maths at home.

Between the ages of three and four, children are learning so much every single day. Their brains are incredibly busy, soaking up information from everything around them. This is such a lovely age to start gently exploring numbers - not in a sit-down, school-like way, but through everyday play, chatting and shared moments.

Talking about numbers and exploring them together helps children build what’s called number sense. This means they begin to understand what numbers actually mean, not just how to say them. When children have a strong number sense early on, counting, adding and problem-solving later on feels far more natural and less overwhelming.

Often we think that children’s ability to count beyond 10 is super important before they start school but number sense is far more important than counting up to 100.

At this stage, it’s best to keep things simple. Focusing on numbers 0–5 is perfect. Rather than rushing ahead, spend time really getting to know each number - how it looks, what it’s made up of, how it feels to count it, and how it can be created in different ways.

This exploration sheet encourages children to experience numbers in lots of different forms. They get to:

• Name the number

• Count objects that match it

• Write it (or attempt to!)

• Build it using objects or blocks

• Colour and decorate it

All of these experiences help the number stick. Children learn best when they can see, touch, move and talk about what they’re doing - not just look at a number on a page.

It’s also a great opportunity to introduce subitising with numbers 0–5. Subitising is the ability to look at a small group of objects and instantly know how many there are - like recognising the number on a dice without counting each dot. This is a really important early maths skill and develops naturally through repeated exposure and play.

Number Exploration Sheets Here

All of these experiences help the number stick. Children learn best when they can see, touch, move and talk about what they’re doing - not just look at a number on a page.

It’s also a great opportunity to introduce subitising with numbers 0–5. Subitising is the ability to look at a small group of objects and instantly know how many there are - like recognising the number on a dice without counting each dot. This is a really important early maths skill and develops naturally through repeated exposure and play.

Easy and Fun Ways to Explore Numbers at Home

You don’t need worksheets or special resources to explore numbers. Here are some playful, low-pressure ideas you can try at home:

• Everyday counting
  Count steps as you walk upstairs, snacks on the plate, toys going into the bath, or cars passing by the window. Little moments add up. When counting touch each object as you say the number.

• Number building
  Make numbers using playdough, sticks, blocks, LEGO, or even socks. Talking about straight lines and curves helps children notice how numbers are formed.

• Dot play
  Draw dots on paper and ask your child how many they can see. Start with small amounts and encourage them to ‘just look’ rather than count every time.

• Number hunts
  Go on a number hunt around the house or when you’re out and about. Look for numbers on doors, clocks, phones or packaging.

• Snack maths
  Ask questions like, ‘You’ve got three crackers — what happens if we eat one?’ or ‘Can you give me two grapes?’ Maths feels much more exciting when it’s edible.

• Songs and rhymes
  Number songs are brilliant for reinforcing counting in a fun, memorable way. Singing together helps numbers stick without it feeling like learning.

Most importantly, keep it relaxed. There’s no rush and no pressure to ‘get it right.’ Sitting together, chatting, counting, laughing and exploring numbers at your child’s pace is where the real learning happens.

Little moments, repeated often, make a big difference.

The best part? You don’t need fancy resources. Sorting can be practised with almost anything you already have at home - no shopping trip required.

Here are a few simple ways to practise sorting together:

Size
Make two piles: big and small. You could gather all the stuffed animals in the house and encourage your child to sort them into two groups. This is great for introducing descriptive words like ‘bigger,’ ‘smaller,’ and ‘tiny.’

Colour
Go on a colour hunt around your home. Find objects of different colours and group them together. This is a lovely way to practise colour recognition while also naming everyday objects as you go.

Categories
Fruit and vegetables work really well here. Grab some real food or toy food and sort them into fruits and veggies. If that feels a bit tricky, try sorting into ‘Food I like’ and ‘Food I don’t like.’ This gives children a chance to explore preferences and confidently share their opinions (which they usually love doing).

Shape
Look for circles, squares and rectangles around the house - plates, books, blocks, lids. Sorting by shape helps children start recognising geometry in everyday life.

Texture
Try soft vs hard. Collect items like socks, wooden toys, sponges and plastic cups and let your child feel and sort them. Sensory input plus sorting is a winning combo.

Our all-time favourite sorting activity has to be this colour sorting game.

It was incredibly simple to set up and kept my little one busy for ages. We sat chatting, singing and naming colours while we sorted - so much learning packed into one activity.

I placed wide, clear packing tape horizontally across a door frame and scattered rainbow-coloured pom poms on the floor. Her job was to place one colour onto each strip of tape. We ended up with a full rainbow door, which we then had to climb under to leave the room - cue lots of giggles and happy chaos.

Simple really is best. Give this one a try for some easy, joyful colour sorting fun.

Sensory play is about more than just keeping little hands busy. When babies squish, press, swipe and stare, they’re building important connections in their brains. Touch, sight and movement all work together to support early brain development, coordination and curiosity. Basically, all that messy-looking play is actually doing some very clever work behind the scenes.

My favourite way to make sensory bags is using thick ziplock bags. I especially love silicone ziplock bags because you can reuse them again and again. Laminating sheets are another great option and feel extra sturdy for tiny explorers.

One of my favourite ‘painting’ ideas is super simple. Pop a piece of card into a ziplock bag, squeeze in a colour of your choice, seal it up and tape it securely to a hard surface- the floor or your baby’s high chair works perfectly. Let your baby push the squidgy paint around and spread it all over. It’s your baby’s first painting experience… with absolutely zero mess involved.

Another lovely way to encourage exploration is by making a water sensory bag using a laminating sheet. Seal three edges using an iron or hair straighteners (double-check there are no gaps). Fill the bag with water, a little bio glitter, and some small soft items like pom poms or tiny toy fish -nothing spiky, as it could pierce the bag. Seal the final edge and tape it to the floor for your baby to explore.

While you play together, try counting aloud, naming the colours or objects, or simply chatting about what they’re doing. The more you talk to your baby, the better. Hearing your voice supports language development and helps them make sense of the world - even if it feels like they’re not listening yet.

Simple, sensory, and so much learning packed into one little bag.

Year 4 is about fluency and confidence. Children start working with less support and more responsibility for their learning.

English

Writing:

Composition & genre

• Write for different audiences (stories, reports, letters)

• Use paragraphs consistently

• Develop ideas in more detail

Grammar & punctuation

• Fronted adverbials (Later that day…)

• Accurate direct speech

• A range of sentence structures

Vocabulary & editing

• More ambitious word choices

• Checking and improving their own work

• Neat cursive handwriting

Reading:

1. Independence & stamina

• Read longer books independently

• Maintain focus over chapters

• Choose appropriate books for themselves

2. Advanced comprehension

• Summarise key ideas

• Infer meaning (“What does this tell us without saying it?”)

• Compare characters or texts

3. Critical thinking

• Express opinions about what they read

• Justify answers using evidence from the text

• Discuss themes and messages

4. Reading across subjects

Children use reading for:

• Science research

• History information

• Instructions and explanations

Maths

Number fluency

• Know all times tables up to 12×12

• Solve multi-step problems

• Understand place value beyond 1,000

Fractions & decimals

• Compare fractions

• Understand simple decimals

Reasoning

• Explain methods

• Spot patterns

• Apply maths across topics

Other Subjects – Year 4 Overview

Science

• States of matter

• Sound

• Electricity

Geography

• Regions of the UK

• Environmental issues

History

• Ancient civilisations

• Comparing time periods

Art & Design

• Developing personal style

• Mixed media

Music

• Reading simple notation

• Composing

Computing

• Logical thinking

• Digital projects

PE

• Competitive sports

• Fitness and teamwork

Year 3 is a big shift. Children are expected to think more deeply, organise their ideas, and start explaining why, not just what.

English

Writing:

Composition & structure

Children are learning to:

• Write longer stories and non-fiction texts

• Organise writing into paragraphs

• Plan before writing

Grammar & punctuation

• Expanded noun phrases (“the enormous, grey elephant”)

• Use of subordinate clauses (“when it was dark…”)

• Inverted commas for speech

Vocabulary & spelling

• Wider, more descriptive vocabulary

• Applying spelling rules

• Beginning joined handwriting

Reading:

1. Fluency

Children are learning to:

• Read longer books with stamina

• Use expression when reading aloud

• Self-correct when something doesn’t make sense

2. Deeper comprehension

• Explain what is happening in a text

• Talk about characters’ feelings and motives

• Identify main ideas and key details

3. Vocabulary growth

• Ask about unfamiliar words

• Use new words in speech and writing

• Understand that words can have different meanings

4. Non-fiction reading

• Use contents pages and headings

• Find specific information

• Read for research, not just stories

Maths

Number & place value

• Read and write numbers up to 1,000

• Compare and order numbers

Arithmetic

• Add and subtract using written methods

• Develop multiplication knowledge up to 10×10

Fractions & reasoning

• Find fractions of amounts

• Explain how answers were found

Other Subjects

Science

• Plants

• Rocks and soils

• Light and shadows

Geography

• Physical features (rivers, mountains)

• Maps and globes

History

• Prehistoric Britain

• Changes over time

Art & Design

• Observational drawing

• Painting techniques

Music

• Rhythm and notation

• Performing together

Computing

• Creating simple programs

• Online safety

PE

• Team sports

• Strategy and cooperation